Iran says it has ‘one word only’ for America in tense standoff between representatives at emergency UN Security Council meeting
Iran’s representative told an emergency United Nations meeting that they ‘only have one word’ for the US following deadly airstrikes on Iran earlier today.
Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told America to be ‘polite’ at the emergency meeting held after Operation Epic Fury, which carried out air strikes targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile programs.
‘I only have one word,’ Iravani said at the meeting in New York City on Saturday. ‘I advise the representative of the United States to be polite.’
‘This will be better for you and the country you represent, thank you.’
US Ambassador Mike Waltz also responded to Iravani and said: ‘Frankly, I will not dignify this with another response.’
“This representative in particular sits here, in this body, and represents a regime that has killed tens of thousands of its own people and imprisoned many more simply because it wants to get rid of your tyranny.”
During the tense meeting, Iravani described the war against Iran as contrary to international law and the international legal order under the United Nations Charter.
“This morning, the US regime, jointly and in coordination with the Israeli regime, launched an unprovoked and pre-planned attack against the Islamic Republic of Iran for the second time in recent months,” Iran’s ambassador said. he said.
Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani told America to be ‘nice’ at an emergency meeting following ‘Operation Epic Rage’, which carried out airstrikes targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile programs
US Ambassador Mike Waltz fired back at Iravani after defending President Trump’s move, saying, “Frankly, I will not dignify this with another response.”
Israeli Ambassador Dany Danon said the attacks were ‘an act of necessity’ to end the ‘existential threat’
‘This is not just an act of aggression; “This is a war crime and a crime against humanity,” Iravani continued.
‘Recourse to a ‘pre-emptive strike’, allegations of imminent threats or other unsubstantiated political allegations are legally, morally and politically unfounded.’
The UN Security Council, which is responsible for ensuring international peace and security, consists of 15 members, including five permanent members; China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom and United States.
Other current members include Bahrain, Colombia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Greece, Latvia, Liberia, Pakistan, Panama and Somalia.
At around 1.15am on Saturday, the US and Israel began striking Iranian targets in an attempt to ‘shatter the security apparatus of the Iranian regime’. according to United Nations Newsstrikes do not meet the legal criteria of self-defense and ‘constitute a violation of the Second Amendment.’
In response, Iran said it would invoke Article 51 of the Charter, which deals with the ‘natural and legal’ right of self-defence, ‘without hesitation’.
However, Israeli Ambassador Dany Danon said the attacks were “an act of necessity” to end the “existential threat”, UN News reported.
‘This is not the anger of a radical group,’ Danon said. ‘This is State-sanctioned hatred.’
Waltz defended the operation in the same way, saying: ‘This is a moment in history that requires moral clarity.’
Waltz claimed the operation had ‘specific and strategic’ objectives in efforts to reduce missile capabilities that threaten allies, target naval assets used in international waters and disrupt machinery that delivers militant weapons.
Waltz claimed that the operation had ‘specific and strategic’ objectives to reduce missile capabilities that threaten allies, target naval assets used in international waters and disrupt machines that supply militant weapons.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized Israel and the US for the attacks, as well as Iranian counter-attacks, and said the conflict was a ‘serious threat’ to international peace and security
According to Waltz, the efforts were to ensure that ‘the Iranian regime can never, ever threaten the world with nuclear weapons.’
According to Waltz, “No responsible nation can ignore persistent aggression and violence,” he said, referring to violent organizations in the Middle East supported by Iran, such as the Houthis, Hezbollah and Hamas.
He added that the country poses a “serious and increasing danger” as it continues to seek advances in missile capacity and nuclear targets.
Waltz added that the Council has sought to thwart this threat, including through resolution 1696 in 2006, which ordered Iran to suspend all uranium enrichment and reprocessing.
However, Iran did not do so, and the Council enacted resolutions 1737 in 2006, 1747 in 2007, 1803 and 1835 in 2008, and 1927 in 2010; these represented the ‘world’s collective judgment’ that the country posed a threat, UN News reported.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres criticized Israel and the United States for the attacks, as well as Iran’s counter-attacks.
“We face a serious threat to international peace and security,” he said. ‘Let me be clear: there is no viable alternative to the peaceful resolution of international disputes.’
Several senior UN officials, including High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk, General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock and World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, also condemned the attacks.
‘The UN Charter is clear: all Member States must resolve their international disputes by peaceful means in a manner that does not endanger international peace, security and justice,’ Baerbock said, UN News reported.
‘I am deeply concerned about the current situation in the Middle East. “My heart goes out to the civilians caught in the crossfire,” Ghebreyesus said.
